Headlines

Super Coffee Enters Plant-Based Beverage Space with New Launches

Kitu Life Super Coffee announced today its first steps into the rising plant-based beverage space with a coffee and a creamer, both made with pea protein, launching nationwide this month. The new flavors include Coconut Mocha Super Coffee, which contains 200 mg of caffeine, 10 grams of protein and 90 calories per 11 oz. can, and French Vanilla Super Creamer.

New Age SEC Notice Suggests Major Changes

New Age Beverages Corp. will seek to change its name, dropping the “Beverages” to become “NewAge, Inc.” according to a notice of annual meeting of shareholders filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Monday. The proposed name change comes as the publicly traded company seeks to divest several beverage brands from its portfolio and diversify its product offerings.

Sugar Association Petitions FDA for Clearer Alt Sugar Callouts

Industry group the Sugar Association wants the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue stricter labeling guidance on alternative sweeteners in order “to stop misleading claims about added sugars content.” But other industry stakeholders argue that product labels are already transparent enough.

Taste Radio Insider Ep. 88: Why Getting This Right Is ‘Freaking Crucial’ To Success

Serial entrepreneur Ashley Rogers spoke how she has applied lessons from her first two businesses to the development of her current brand, Spudsy. She also shared the remarkable story about how she identified and partnered with a co-packer, why she is more thoughtful about retailer relationships than in the past and how outsourced staff has supported Spudsy’s rapid growth.

Orgain Names Energy, Ice Cream Brands As ‘Greater Good’ Winners

Organic protein beverage maker Orgain announced yesterday the first recipients of its new Grants for Greater Good program, which provides funds to startup brands with health and wellness oriented missions. The three winning startups include kolanut fruit-based energy drink Bissy, non-dairy ice cream maker Hakuna Brands and IncludeHealth, a maker of fitness equipment for the disabled and elderly.

New Beverage Showdown 19: Meet the Contestants and Judges!

Next week BevNET’s New Beverage Showdown 19, the leading business pitch competition for the beverage industry, will feature the founders of the hottest new beverage brands, all competing virtually. The semifinalists have been chosen, as well as the expert judges who will be narrowing the field, providing feedback, and choosing the winner. Let’s meet the players.

Research Recap: 2019 ‘Blockbuster’ Year for Launches, But Pandemic Causes Shifts

Though the current market has been thoroughly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving uncertainty about how consumer behavior will shift long term, a new report by market research firm IRI showed that last year was marked by numerous “blockbuster” food and beverage launches. Also, Euromonitor predicts food and beverage to be lone growth sector in 2020 as pandemic impacts become clearer.

‘Shocked and Abhorred’: Industry Reacts to Inequality, Violence

In response to the death of George Floyd, some of the country’s largest food and beverage companies, as well as a large group of entrepreneurs and emerging brands, have offered statements of support, financial donations to advocacy groups and commitments to open a dialogue about racial justice in America.

Taste Radio Ep. 216: World-Class Brands May Start With Passion, But They’re Driven By This

Justin Baldwin, founder of the acclaimed Justin Winery, chronicled the development of his highly awarded brand and spoke about the importance of leveraging one’s skill sets and admitting their weaknesses, mitigating risk through financial discipline and how entrepreneurs can best position their companies for success in good times and bad.